- Where is the City of Whitehorse?
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The Yukon is located in northwestern Canada just above the 60th parallel directly above the province of British Columbia. It is situated directly between the state of Alaska to the west and the Northwest Territories to the east. Whitehorse is located in the south central part of the Territory on the Alaska Highway at Kilometre 1476, approximately 2,680 km north of Vancouver, BC, and is accessible by car year round. It is also accessible by air with domestic and international airlines providing regularly scheduled services to Whitehorse.
- What is the population of Whitehorse?
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As of May 2007, the population of Whitehorse was 24,151.
The Yukon's population as of December 2006 was 32,335 with 74% of the population living in Whitehorse. Of that number, 49.7% were females and 50.3% were males. Persons under the age of 15 accounted for 18.0% of the population and 7.4% were aged 65 or over.
- What is the City like?
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Whitehorse is a contemporary city and the government and business centre for the Yukon. The Yukon government headquarters and several federal government offices are located in the city. The Council of Yukon First Nations also has its headquarters in Whitehorse. We have a very active arts community who perform live at the Yukon Arts Centre and at several other venues in the city.
Tourism has become a major source of economic growth as Whitehorse has positioned itself in the Wilderness Tourism Market, the Arts, Cultural, and Heritage Tourism Market, as a mecca for Adventure Tours, as a stop over for Alaska Cruises on their way from Anchorage to Skagway, and for history buffs interested in Narrow Gauge Railways, the Klondike Gold Rush and all of the History of the Yukon First Nations.
Whitehorse is an exciting and diverse city to visit. We have excellent accommodations, wonderful restaurants, shopping, live theatre, cultural events, wildlife, amazing scenic views, and many attractions such as the S.S. Klondike paddle wheeler museum, the McBride Museum with its grass roof, the Beringia Centre which highlights ancient Yukon, dog sledding opportunities in the winter and all sorts of summer activities such as hiking, fishing, white water rafting, camping, walking the trails, water activities and so much more. Please go to our photo gallery and you will see some of the sites in and around Whitehorse.
- What is the temperature like in Whitehorse? Is there always snow on the ground?
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No, there is not always snow on the ground. As a matter of fact, Whitehorse has a very comfortable climate year round. Whitehorse is classifed as a dry subarctic climate and has a summer climate that often surprises most people. During the summer months, the temperatures often exceed 20˚C with the average daytime temperature being in the high teens. On occasion the temperatures will even exceed the 30˚C mark. The Yukon rarely experiences humid summer days and the nights are always cool and comfortable for sleeping. The record high temperature recorded in the Yukon was 34.4˚C in June 1969. As one might suspect, there is always a nice breeze blowing and Whitehorse has some of the freshest, cleanest air in the world!
During the winter months Whitehorse experiences much milder temperatures than one might expect. The average winter temperature in January is -18˚C although temperatures are known to drop to -40˚C on several occasions during the winter months. The record low temperature recorded in the Yukon was -52.2˚C in January 1947. Because of its dry climate, the Yukon has very little precipitation with an annual snowfall of 145cm and 163 mm of rainfall. Surprised? Another fact that may surprise you is despite its relatively colder climate, Whitehorse has been ranked as having one of the most comfortable climates in Canada.
- Is it dark all winter? Is it light all summer?
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Although Whitehorse is above the 60th parallel, frequently referred to as "North of 60", it does not experience 24 hour darkness during the winter months. During the shortest day of the year on December 21st (Winter Solstice) Whitehorse experiences about 5.5 hours of daylight. It isn't unless you are in the extreme northern parts of the Yukon above the Arctic Circle that one experiences 24 hour darkness.
At the other end of the spectrum, Whitehorse also does not experience 24 hour sunlight during the summer months. During the longest day of the year on June 21st (Summer Solstice) the City will experience 21 hours of sunlight with complete darkness never really settling in during the peak summer period in late June, early July.
It isn't called the land of the midnight sun for nothing! Many tourists enjoy a game of golf or a paddle on the Yukon River at 11pm or later.
- What are the roads like?
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The Yukon has an excellent road system. The Alaska Highway takes you all the way from Alberta to Anchorage in Alaska and is paved for more than 95% of the trip and is kept clear year round. Most highways in the Yukon are paved and accessible year round although the Dempster Highway in the most northern part of the Territory is not always drivable during the winter months. Road conditions for the Yukon are available at www.gov.yk.ca/roadreport or toll free (in the Yukon) 1-877-456-7623. A Yukon Highway Travel Guide is also available at www.hpw.gov.yk.ca (PDF download).
Whitehorse is just like any other larger city down south with paved streets, traffic lights and parking meters.
- What are the facilities and services like?
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We are very proud of the services we have in a city the size of Whitehorse. We have an excellent, and quite new hospital that can perform surgeries and most medical procedures. We have an excellent educational system including a French Immersion program and even a school for French Speaking residents. We also have Yukon College which has a great variety of courses and offers Yukon residents the ability to take their first two years of University right here in Whitehorse. The College also offers a degree in Education targeted to people of First Nations descent, but open to everyone.
Whitehorse also has all of the Service Clubs you would find in any other city such as the Lions Club, the Shriners Club, the Kinsmen Club, the Rotary Club, just to mention a few.
We have a public transit system, cable TV, local radio stations, high-speed internet, taxi service, theatres, big-box stores and every other amenity you would like to have and more……
Whitehorse is a GREAT city! Go to the City of Whitehorse website at www.city.whitehorse.yk.ca to find out more information…